Raines (Jacksonville) stays on top while Columbia moves closer to No. 2 Buchholz
GAINESVILLE — The Raines (Jacksonville) Vikings made sure they stayed the No. 1 team in The Prep Zone Power Poll after hammering then-4th-ranked Mandarin (Jacksonville), 31-13, in what was considered the game of the year in Northeast Florida.
But the battle for 2nd right behind Raines is tightening between Buchholz (Gainesville) and Columbia (Lake City).
The top-ranked Vikings (5-0) took care of business as they pulled away at home against Mandarin. They received nine of the 11 first-place votes but face another tough test this week at home against Venice, which is ranked 12th in Florida and 42nd nationally by MaxPreps.
Buchholz, which picked up a first-place vote again this week, is still No. 2, but only a point ahead of 3rd-ranked Columbia. Last Friday, the Bobcats remained unbeaten at 5-0 as they travelled south to Tampa and rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat 1A No. 14 and No. 53 overall Jesuit, 20-17.
Columbia, which earned the final first-place vote this week, came back from a double-digit deficit to knock off 14th-ranked Trinity Christian (Jacksonville), 27-20, on the road. The Tigers (5-0) host Riverside (Jacksonville) this week in a District 3-4A matchup.
St. Augustine remained 4th. The Yellow Jackets (5-0) had to rally to beat Evans (Orlando), which is ranked 9th in 5A and No. 35 statewide.
Rounding out the top five is DeLand. The Bulldogs pounded Deltona, 43-0, to break out of a tie with Hawthorne for sixth last week.
Hawthorne is still No. 6 after pounding Bayshore (Bradenton), 50-15, on the road, while Mandarin dropped to No. 7 after the loss at Raines. Bolles (Jacksonville) is 8th, followed by No. 9 Bradford (Starke) and Ed White (Jacksonville) to round out the top 10 this week. The 10th-ranked Commanders (3-1) picked up a huge win as they went into Georgia and knocked off powerhouse Camden County, 48-44.
Santa Fe (Alachua) moved into the top 20 at 18th this week after winning 41-28 at previously unbeaten and then-20th ranked Fort White. Besides Santa Fe, also moving into the poll this week are No. 15T Bartram Trail (St. Johns) and 20th-ranked Dunnellon.
The Bears dropped out after a loss the previous week at No. 13 Fletcher (Neptune Beach), but they moved back in this week replacing Creekside (St. Johns), who Bartram Trail beat last week, 10-9.
Also dropping out were Oakleaf (Orange Park) and Fort White.
The Prep Zone Power Poll ranks the top 20 high school football, girls basketball, boys basketball, softball & baseball teams (regardless of FHSAA classification) across 26 counties in North Florida (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, Sumter, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union & Volusia counties). It is voted on weekly by sportswriters and sportscasters and it is powered by Be Well Fitness.
THE PREP ZONE POWER POLL – 2026 FOOTBALL POLL #6
(School, followed by classification, first-place votes, current record, and total voting points)
1. Raines (Jacksonville) (3A) (9) (5-0) – 218
2. Buchholz (Gainesville) (5A) (1) (5-0) – 203
3. Columbia (Lake City) (4A) (1) (5-0) – 202
4. St. Augustine (4A) (5-0) – 178
5. DeLand (6A) (3-1) – 171
6. Hawthorne (1A) (5-0) – 164
7. Mandarin (Jacksonville) (5A) (3-1) – 156
8. Bolles (Jacksonville) (2A) (3-1) – 141
9. Bradford (Starke) (2A) (5-0) – 126
10. Ed White (Jacksonville) (4A) (3-1) – 116
11. Vanguard (Ocala) (4A) (2-2) – 112
12. Spruce Creek (Port Orange) (6A) (4-1) – 85
13. Fletcher (Neptune Beach) (5A) (4-1) – 82
14. Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) (1A) (2-3) – 77
15T. Bartram Trail (St. Johns) (5A) (4-1) – 39
15T. The Villages (3A) (4-0) – 39
17. Madison County (1A) (3-2) – 38
18. Santa Fe (Alachua) (3A) (4-0) – 34
19. University Christian (Jacksonville) (1A) (3-2) – 25
20. Dunnellon (3A) (5-0) – 19
Also receiving votes: Baker County (Glen St. Mary) (3A) (4-1) – 18; Oakleaf (Orange Park) (5A) (2-2) – 18; Mainland (Daytona Beach) (6A) (1-2) – 12; West Nassau (Callahan) (SSAA) (4-0-1) – 11; Creekside (St. Johns) (6A) (3-2) – 9; Forest (Ocala) (5A) (5-0) – 5; Suwannee (Live Oak) (3A) (5-0) – 5; Fort White (1A) (3-1) – 3; Interlachen (SSAA) (4-1) – 1; Nease (Ponte Vedra) (5A) (1-3) – 1; South Sumter (Bushnell) (3A) (4-1) – 1.
